BERHAMPUR: After two days of mass nesting at Gahirmatha, Olive Ridley turtles started arriving early Sunday morning at the island from Gokharkuda to Podampeta in Rushikulya.
Berhampur DFO, Amlan Nayak said, “The mass nesting of the endangered turtles started on Sunday from 4 am to 8 am. As many as more than forty thousand Olive Ridley turtles have thronged the rookery for nesting.” He added that all necessary measures have been taken for the protection of the turtles as the mass nesting may continue for more than ten days.
Though delayed, the arrival of the Olive Ridleys has wiped out apprehension said Rabindranath Sahu, secretary Samudrika Kaincha Surakhya Samiti. With the arrival of the turtles getting delayed by more than a fortnight, Sahu said there were fears of them skipping mass nesting because of “massive sea erosion near the confluence of Rushikulya River and Bay of Bengal”.
Rushikulya earlier used to meet the sea at Puruna Bandha area, but the new location is now Podampeta due to sea erosion, he informed.